Dogs are intelligent, and with a bit of time and effort, they can be taught which behaviors are good and which ones are bad. The key to training your dog to behave as you want is to use positive reinforcement and give him rewards when you’re proud of him. These rewards can be tasty treats, but they don’t have to be.
Whenever you think he’s being a good boy, you must let him know. Let’s learn how to reward your dog for good behavior.
Keep in mind that timing is key
To properly reward your dog for his good behavior, remember that timing is key.
When your dog obeys your command or does something that makes you happy, you must reward him right away.
The goal is to get him to associate good behavior with the reward, so timing is key.
If your dog shows good behavior during a walk, but you only give him a treat when you get back home, he will still enjoy it, but it will not teach him anything.
The good news is that if you don’t keep dog treats in your pocket while walking with your companion, you can find other ways to reward them.
Use rewards that your dog will love
To figure out how to reward your dog for good behavior, you must think about which rewards would have the most value for him.
Most love being given dog treats, such as chews, bully sticks, dog biscuits, or crunchy baby carrots.
However, your dog may also be excited to receive verbal praise, get a belly rub, or play with a brand-new toy.
Figure out what your dog loves the most, so you can reward him in a way that will show him how much you care for him.
Have more than one type of treat in your pantry
Yes, dogs love treats. However, if your dog always receives the same treats, he may eventually become bored with them.
And if he gets bored with the rewards you give him, he might lose his motivation to show good behavior.
The solution is to keep more than one type of treat in your pantry.
Get commercial dog treats in a variety of flavours and textures, and occasionally, give your dog some human foods that are healthy for him to eat, such as blueberries, watermelon, or pumpkin puree.
Praise your dog for his good behavior
If you don’t have any treats close at hand, but you still want to reward your dog for his good behavior, you can praise him.
He might not understand the words you use, but he will understand that you’re proud of him and that you approve of whatever he is doing now.
You don’t have to wait for a special occasion to praise your dog.
Whenever he does something that you like, let him know he’s being a good dog.
Your praise and feedback will help him develop good habits.
Engage in a fun play session with a toy your dog likes
You can also reward your dog for good behavior by playing with him and using a toy he likes.
If you’re in a park and your dog obeys your command, you can grab a stick and play fetch with him.
If you’re home and he does something you want to reward him for, grab a flirt pole for a fun play session, or hide some yummy treats in his lick mat or puzzle toy.
Be consistent with your training sessions
A happily well-trained dog will be more likely to adopt good behaviors.
Be sure to make each session fun, and above all, be consistent.
To teach your dog to obey your commands, use the same words and hand signals each time.
It will then be easier for him to understand what you want him to do and what you expect from him.
Ensure that everyone in your household uses the same commands and knows which rewards your dog prefers.
Redirect your dog’s bad behavior
When your dog does something that you don’t want him to do, don’t punish him. Instead, use a treat and some verbal praise to redirect his bad behavior.
For example, if your dog likes to chew on furniture, don’t yell at him. Simply give him a chew toy or a bully stick and praise him whenever he uses it.
He will quickly learn that chewing furniture is not acceptable behavior, but that it makes you happy when he chews on his toy.
Redirecting his behavior will help him develop good habits while avoiding confusion and stressful interactions between your pup and you.